


side by side (hold my hand and we won't fall down)

by fraisage



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Feminization, General Absurdity, M/M, Mpreg, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-19
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-03-08 05:35:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3197318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fraisage/pseuds/fraisage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis was an omega with few options. Harry an alpha who thought he had it all. This is the story of how they meet, fall in love, and succeed, together.</p><p>Basically, Louis helps Harry become prime minister with the power of his undying love and support. Or something like that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Louis is standing in the kitchen making himself a cuppa when he hears the door open. “In here!” he calls out into the hallway, before turning back to set some biscuits on a plate. Not that he won’t end up eating the whole pack at once, but Louis isn’t some animal! If he’s going to eat all fourteen biscuits in one sitting he’ll at least put them on a plate, thanks.

While Louis’ is assuring himself that biscuits are in fact a rather wholesome lunch, oats and wholemeal and chocolate and all that, a pair of arms snake their way around his waist, while a very curly head finds a place on his shoulder.

“How’re my two little loves today?” Harry asks, leaning up to place a kiss behind Louis’ ear.

Louis places his hands over Harry’s, clasped over the little swell of his tummy, “Well I’ve been alright, but this little one has been protesting all day about his mummy having to drink this dirty dishwater that has no right to be called tea.”

Harry lets out a little laugh, his arms tightening around Louis’ waist as he chuckles, “You’re projecting a bit, love. In fact, I think our little baby must be so happy that his mummy loves him enough to drink decaf.”

Louis rolls his eyes, “Well he’d better. Nine months without caffeine in nine too many for my lifetime.”

Harry gives him another kiss, a little peck on the lips this time, “Well, since my darlings have been so good today, I wonder what they’d like for dinner?”

“Fajitas. And tacos,” Louis nods at his tummy, “He wants fajitas and I want tacos.”

Harry gives Louis a pointed look, “Fajitas, tacos, _and_ …?”

Louis lets out a long-suffering sigh, “ _Fine_ , and some salad. But they better be the best damn fajitas and tacos I’ve ever eaten.”

Harry’s eyes crinkle up when he smiles, “They’ll be the best damn fajitas and tacos and salad for the best damn soon-to-be mummy in the world.”

Louis might complain that Harry’s torturing him with decaf tea and _salad_ of all things, but when he looks into those eyes, all he can see is love, love, love.

It’s funny for him to think that all those years ago when they’d made their arrangement, when Louis had been just a young omega of sixteen and Harry had just graduated university, that they’d have come this far.

Because Louis never thought he, a little omega nobody would be mated and married to the Prime Minister of the entire fucking United Kingdom.

 

*

 

The world’s come a long way from trading in omegas like property. An omega in this day an age has so many opportunities, and can expect to achieve just as much as the average beta or alpha, provided they commit themselves to their studies and work hard to achieve their goals.

Unfortunately for Louis Tomlinson, he’s never been the type for book-learning. Louis, having come to terms with this by the time he’s sixteen, resigns himself to looking for alternative career choices. He could start looking into apprenticeships and things like that, but omegas rarely get chosen for anything involving manual labor (basically all he’s qualified for) over beta and alpha applicants.

Louis’ body just isn’t built for manual labor, even if it’s built for _actual_ labor. He’s even a bit smaller than average for a male omega, so Louis knows he as to look into an alternative, _alternative_ career choice.

Archaic though it may be, arranged alpha-omega marriages still exist and are quite common. It’s just that the system’s been updated a bit. Most alphas go through agencies to find suitable omegas, although some of the more prominent families still like to make their own contracts amongst themselves. The benefits of the agencies though are that both alphas and omegas are screened for compatibility, and contracts are never signed unless both parties agree. There are a handful of agencies dotted across the country, which make thousands of apparently successful matches each year.

So, the day after Louis finds out he’s failed his maths GCSE for the second time, he prints out and fills in the forms for every arrangement agency in the UK, and hopes to god than he’ll get at least one positive response back. He fills out the forms for agencies as close to home as London, and even for the one agency located as far as Wales, although Louis hopes he’ll get a response from one closer to home. Because if Louis can’t even pass his maths GCSE, he doesn’t know how he could ever possibly learn Welsh.

 

*

 

Fortunately for Louis, just when he thought he’d end up a pathetic bum freeloading off his poor mum, watching as his beta siblings go off in their lives to make something of themselves, a packet arrives from one of the most prominent agencies in London, containing two letters and a thick file. He’d only really applied to Spheredew Dynamics on a lark, being that it was the poshest agency of them all and Louis was just a little omega nobody from Doncaster. That particular agency had matched Prince William for god’s sake!

But not only was one of the letters an acceptance letter into the agency’s list of potential omegas, the other letter was a notice stating that Louis had already received an offer from a potential suitor.

According to the agency’s letter, an alpha named 'Harry Edward Styles' had already requested a meeting and then an arrangement if they proved compatible. Louis imagines that’s what the thick file is for, especially because it had 'Styles, H.E.' written in neat print at the top.

This file has been sent along for Louis to read. To see if he’d like to mate with “Harry Edward Styles,” for him to make sure that Styles isn’t some sort of psychopathic, raging alpha. Like the kind who thinks he can sweep any unsavory 'incidents' under the rug with money and a name.

As Louis reads the file, it becomes very apparent to him that Harry Edward Styles is anything but a typical alpha. According to the file, which helpfully provides simple explanations for all the complicated graphs and tables contained within, Harry’s baseline aggression levels are remarkably low for an alpha. Especially for a 'thoroughbred,' like Styles, whose family has connections to several prominent lineages known for producing rather exceptional alphas. Apparently, the only time his aggression levels spiked during testing was in conjunction with feelings of protectiveness. Any displays of aggression were directed toward the 'threat' made against the omega stand-in, never towards the omega.

Besides that, the file also includes some other background information on Harry, things like education and career goals. 'Reading PPE at Oxford. Gap year spent teaching English in Mongolia. In the future hopes to become an MP affiliated with the Labour Party.'

It’s all seems rather impressive to Louis. Which begs the question, what the hell does an alpha like Harry Edward Styles want with an omega like Louis William Tomlinson? Maybe he’d just been working off the snapshot Louis had sent along with his application?

Nevertheless, Louis isn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He quickly checks the boxes confirming 'Yes' on both the acceptance of agency representation letter and the request letter, sealing them in the prepaid envelope and intending to send it off in the morning.

Louis doesn’t know at all what the future has in store for him, but he knows this: the path he’s taken might be everything he never wanted, but Harry Styles might be everything he needs.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why am I starting a work that requires so much googling? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Next chapter is probably gonna be the first meeting. Don't expect for pregnant Louis/prime minister Harry to come back very soon...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting.

It had been a week before Louis’ had gotten the confirmation letter back from the agency, along with a slip to claim a pre-paid train ticket from Doncaster to London at the station.

Which was why Louis was currently sitting in the back of a car, a shaking bag of nerves, on the way to the headquarters of Spheredew Dynamics, the preeminent alpha-omega matchmaking agency in the country. His head’s a complete mess, his hands are clammy, and he’s feeling less than shabby dressed in his Sunday-best, in the back of this gleaming black car with its tinted windows and chauffeur and leather seats.

But there’s nothing he can do but press on.

Or, tuck and roll out of the car. But he’s not that really that desperate.

Yet.

 

*

 

Louis had spent the better part of his school years familiarizing himself with both the head teacher’s office and the internal exclusion room. Suffice to say he’s not one to be cowed by just a look.

That being said, Louis had never felt smaller than he does now.

The fact that there’s a table separating him from both the incredibly intimidating alpha and beta across from him is the only reason Louis hasn’t made a run for it.

Yet.

The alpha of course is one Harry Edward Styles, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome himself. Or more like Mr. Tall, Handsome, and Yet Completely Utterly Pants-Shittingly Scary himself.

Louis isn’t sure how well this mating will go if he can’t even get near Styles without internally whimpering.

Not that this mating is going to, well, _go_. Judging by how Styles and the beta woman, Ms. Teasdale, are looking at him like he’s a bug to squash under their expensive leather shoes.

It’d all gone downhill once he’d come in after taking an hour to fill out the informational survey provided by the agency. Which had taken quite a bit of time and attention, being a lot more in-depth than the initial application survey (and that one had required blood work!).

The two had looked over his survey, and Louis had watched as their expressions got progressively darker.

Louis’ had a lot of bad ideas, but most hadn’t ended with his abject humiliation. If he’d wanted to be looked at like this (like he’s _useless_ ) he would’ve gone back to try to pass his geography GCSE.

Finally, after no less than fifteen minutes of seemingly-unending, silent judgement, Ms. Teasdale finally speaks. Her tone does not bode well for Louis.

“So Mr. Tomlinson, it says here that you failed all your GCSEs, and have no experience with basic household tasks such as cooking or cleaning. And under ‘aspirations’ you’ve written, ‘Meet David Beckham.’

Louis feels like he could drown in his inadequacy. Styles is still sitting silently across from him, like he’s trying to decide if he should not only reject Louis outright but also go ahead and give the order for his extermination. Highly-compatible pheromones or not.

Ms.Teasdale is speaking again, “Well Mr.Tomlinson, I fail to see how this meeting could be fruitful in any way. It seems that you have wasted both my time and Mr.Styles’. The only thing I can thank you for is alerting me to the fact that our agency’s diagnostic programs are obviously faulty and need to be recalibrated. If you’ll go down to the front desk, I’ll have them arrange a ticket for you to return to Doncaster, and we can forget this meeting ever occurred.”

At first, Louis’ feels like the ground is falling out from under him, like his one chance just slipped through his fingers. It’s like he’s really what everyone’s always said about him—useless, useless, useless.

Then he just gets angry.

“I can’t clean, and I can’t cook, but I don’t fucking see how being able to do either of those things could make me a better or worse omega. Because I can dial a number for takeaway with the best of them. I’ve got four little sisters so I know how to sort a room out just enough to hide the mess while making sure no one kills each other. And I know how to order groceries from Asda, or Tesco, or even fucking Waitrose if that’s what posh arseholes like you prefer!”

His mum’s always said it was Louis’ mouth that got him in the biggest trouble. Both of them look stunned but no one’s more so than Louis. It’s like he’s released all his pent-up feelings at once.

Of course he’d be the one to let them all out against total strangers. If he’s lucky he can get out now before they call security on him. The last thing he needs is to be tossed out with no way to get back to Doncaster.

Louis tries to play off his outburst by laughing, “Well, I’ll just go downstairs and get that train ticket, shall I?” He’s about to make a run for it when—

“Wait.”

Wait, as in, Harry Styles had uttered his first words since he’d introduced himself to Louis. Which had been ‘Wait.’ Wait, as in, please wait while I call the police? Or please wait while I figure out the best way to have you murdered so the world will be rid of your sub-par omega self.

Knowing Louis’ luck, it’ll be the latter.

Styles is turning to Ms. Teasdale now, saying, “I want him,” with absolute finality.

Ms. Teasdale is sputtering, “What, Harry—I don’t think you understand what you’re saying, I’m sure we can find you an omega as soon as we get the system running correctly again, I—“

She’s cut off when Styles, _Harry_ says, again, “I want him.”

Louis does want to remain inconspicuous in case Ms. Teasdale’s got some sort of silent alarm under the table and security’s already making their way up to drag him out of the building, but he can’t help himself when he says, “What.”

Styles is smirking at them both now, “I think he’ll be perfect Lou. In fact, he’s just the kind of omega I’ve been looking for.”

Ms. Teasdale, _Lou_ (and really, that’s going to be confusing later), is still sputtering when she says, “Harry, what do you mean? He’s utterly _beneath_ you, a completely incompetent omega!”

Harry’s face has gotten serious again, “ _No_ , Lou. It’s just like Louis here said, cooking and cleaning don’t make a perfect omega. And especially not for me. Not when I’ve already got someone to do that. What I need is an omega who can hold his own at parties, who can hold a conversation about something besides china patterns. So Louis here is exactly who I want. Make the arrangements.”

His tone is entirely, ‘No arguments. Do as I say.’

Ms. Teasdale looks like she wants to argue further, until she says, “Fine, Harry. But I won’t be cleaning up this mess when it all goes down the drain.”

Harry’s smiling again, though it’s stiff enough that Louis can tell he doesn’t do it very often, “Trust me, Lou. I’ve got a feeling about this.”

Louis is feeling completely ignored at this point, “Um, this sounds all well and good. But nobody’s asked _me_ if I want to be mated to him yet?”

Harry gives him a smile, though it’s still closer to a smirk than anything, “I didn’t think I needed to ask seeing as you seem to be the one who’s desperate. You’ll get a monthly stipend, a thousand pounds for the household, a thousand for other maintenance, and fifteen-hundred for your own needs. Does that sound fair?”

Fifteen-hundred for his own needs. Money he could spend on a dress for Lottie’s prom, toys for the twins, Fizzy’s boarding fees, so his mum doesn’t have to work so many shifts.

Louis doesn’t have to think twice before he says, “Yes.”

He once would’ve thought that accepting a marriage proposal might’ve been a happy occasion. That he’d spend the rest of the day after celebrating with his new fiancée or fiancé and both their families.

Instead, he has neither, not when he can really only think of Harry as his ‘future alpha.’

And there’s a lot less celebrating going on, not when he’s quite sure the rest of the day is going to be spent signing more paperwork than even the prime minister probably sees in a day.

“Oh, and Louis, just so you know, I’m much more partial to Tesco Home Delivery.”

When Louis had first met him, he’d been so sure that Harry was the Devil.

Now he knows he couldn’t have been more wrong.

The man’s got a smirk like the Devil’s son.

 *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, I completely forgot that I'd had this mostly written out (but unedited) over a year ago. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope anyone who reads this gets even a tiny bit of enjoyment out of this. Even though it will be very light on the whole 'politics' thing because I really only know enough about the general state of things to know that things are going, in general, 'bad.' I am American after all, and I've got November to worry about.

**Author's Note:**

> Why am I starting a work that requires so much googling? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Next chapter is probably gonna be the first meeting. Don't expect for pregnant Louis/prime minister Harry to come back very soon...


End file.
